Combination rudder and propeller drive assembly



Oct. 12, 1965 F. M. YARBROUGH COMBINATION RUDDER AND PROPELLER DRIVE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 12, 1964 Oct. 12, 1965 F. M. YARBROUGH 3,21L125 COMBINATION RUDDER AND PROPELLER DRIVE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June l2, 1964 INVENTOR.

United States Patent O 3,211,125 COMBINATION RUBBER AND PRIELLER DRIVE ASSEMBLY Fenner M. Yarbrough, R0. Box 1566, Eustis, lFla. Filed .lune 12, 1964, Ser. No. 374,597 '7 Claims. (Cl. 11S-25) This invention relates to improvements in a combination of a rudder and propeller drive assembly for a boat, and one of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an assembly of the type described wherein the rudder and the propeller drive are combined into a single unitary structure for adaptation to :a boat as a unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a propelling and steering means for a vehicle which is adapted for mounting on the stern or transom of a boat such as, for example, 1a rowboat, whereby the boat may be readily and conveniently propelled and steered through a body of water without the necessity of using oars, and without the 'use of an outboard motor or engine.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a boat-propelling and steering mechanism which is propelled through the turning of foot pedals and steered through the movement of the users thighs, whereby the hands and arms of the :user are free to engage in hunting or iishing activities.

This invention has, as a still further object thereof, the provision of the propeller and steering mechanism for a boat which may be folded to form a compact unit whereby the same may be easily transported and stored in such a manner as to occupy but a minimum of space, and which may be quickly and easily connected with the transom of a boat and supported on the bottom wall thereof without the use of tools or the exertion of an extreme amount of physical labor.

This invention has, as still another object thereof, the provision of a combination propeller and drive assembly for a boat which will permit the operator to work the drive for the propeller while occupying a rear seat in the boat and while looking forward, thereby facilitating the navigation of the boat in that the operator may steer and propel the same into narrow quarters in a relatively unobtrusive and soundless manner which is of particular importance to la fisherman and to hunters of fowl.

This invention contemplates, as a still further object thereof, the provision of a combination rudder and propeller drive assembly essentially of a unitary structure which may be readily installed and removed from a boat without diiiculty, and which is suiciently light in weight for easy carrying and transporting.

It is further contemplated, as another object of this invention, to provide a combination rudder and propeller drive Iassembly which is non-complex in construction and assembly, inexpensive to manufacture, and which is durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more evident from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a combination rudder and propeller drive assembly for a boat partially shown in cross-section;

FIGURE 2 is a partial top plan view of the combined rudder and propeller drive assembly shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a continuing top plan view of the combined rudder and propeller drive assembly as shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary detail, longitudinal crosssectional view of a portion of the rudder and propeller drive assembly;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail, cross-sectional View, FIGURE 5 being taken substantially on the horizontal 3,211,125 Patented Oct. l2, 1965 plane of line 5-5 of FIGURE 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged detail, cross-sectional view illustrating one feature of the rudder assembly;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail, crosssectional view illustrating the adjustable connection of the seat assembly;

FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view of the combined rudder and propeller drive assembly shown in the folded position of the same; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary detail, cross-sectional view of the seat assembly, FIGURE 9 being taken substantially on the vertical plane of line 9-9 of FIG-URE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now more specically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates, in general, a combination rudder and propeller drive assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. The assembly 10 is seen to comprise an elongated, substantially open, rectangular base frame 11 (see FIGURE l) formed of a pair of elongated angle members 12, 14 (see FIG- URE 2) each of which includes a normally horizontal flange 16, 18 from a longitudinally-extending marginal edge of which depend legs 20, 22, respectively. The angle members 12, 14 extend parallel to one another and are rigidly connected together at a pair of adjacent ends by an elongated, substantially at rectangular plate 24 which is connected thereto by bolts 26, to be described. The connector plate 24 is formed with an elongated longitudinally-extending slot 28 (see FIGURES 2 and 6) which extends transversely therethrough with its longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the angle members 12, 14. The angle members 12, 14 are rigidly connected adjacent their other respective ends by means of a transversely-extending rod 30 which is welded or otherwise iixedly secured to the flanges 16, 18.

Reference numeral 32 denotes an inverted substantially C-shaped channel member, reference being made to FIGURE 3, 'having a centrally-located, elongated bight portion 34 from the longitudinally-extending marginal edges of which depend sidewalls 36, 38. Projecting upwardly from each sidewall 36, 38 at a pair of adjacent ends thereof are a pair of apertured lugs 40, 42 (see FIG- URE 2). The lugs 40, 42 are pivotally connected with the other end of the frame 11 on a pivot pin 44, the ends of which are supported on legs 20, 22. The other end of the bight 34 is provided with a longitudinally-extending slot (see FIGURE 3) to which reference will be made below.

The slotted end of the channel member 32 is telescopically received within one end of a substantially hollow, elongated, rectangular gear box 50 having a pair of opposed top and bottom walls 52, 54, respectively, and sidewalls 56, 58. A headed bolt 60 extends through the slot 48, and a suitable opening (not shown) in the top wall 52 is provided to receive the bolt 60 therethrough which is capped by a wing nut 62. The bolt 60 is, of course, slidable in the slot 48 as the channel member 32 and the gear box 50 are adjusted longitudinally relative to one another, and the same are held in adjusted relation by means of the nut 62. The other end of the gear box 50 has one of the ends of a pair of normally depending standards 64, `66 rigidly secured thereto, the other ends of the standards being rigidly connected to a cross rod 68, and the ends of the latter terminate in laterally-odset fand normally downwardly-extending legs 70, 72 'engageable with the bottom wall 104 of a boat 102.

Reference numerals 74, 76 designate, generally, a pair of inverted substantially U-shaped transom hooks disposed in laterally-spaced and substantially parallel relation and each of which includes a bight portion 78, 8i) from the ends of which depend the pairs of arms 82, 84

3 and 86, 88, respectively. The outer ends of the arms 86, 88 are laterally-offset in the same direction toprovide arm extensions 90, 92 xedly secured, respectively, to the angle-shaped frame members 12, 14 as by welding 94 (see FIGURE 4).

Each of the arms 86, 88 has threaded therethrough a clamp bolt 9,5 pivotally connected at one end to a clamp head 96 and carrying a manually-operable handle 98 at the other end thereof, all in a conventional manner.

As is seen in the several figures of the drawings, the transom hooks 74, 76 are adapted for engagement with the transom 100 of a conventional rowboat indicated at 102 and being abovementioned, the bights 78, 80 overlying t'he upper end of the transom 10,0 with the arms 8 2, 84 engaging against the outer side of the transom 100. As is seen in the drawings, the arms 86, 88 are spaced inwardly of the inner side of the transom 100, land the heads 96 carried by the bolts 95 are tightened thereagainst in order to support one end of the base frame 11 in elevated position relative to the bottom wall 104 of the boat 102.

Referring now to FIGURE l of the drawings, reference numeral 106 designates, generally, a cushion seat for the operator of the boat 102. The seat 106 cornprises a substantially rectangular cushion portion 108 mounted in a rigid metallic frame 110 having a substantially rectangular configuration and including a substantially solid rectangular base plate 111 for supporting the cushion 108, the base plate 111 having depending from the forward corners thereof a pair of -braces 112, the lower ends of the braces 112 being slidably received Within a pair of substantially hollow, elongated, substantially cylindrical legs 114, the lower ends of the latter engaging with the bottom wall 104 of the boat 102. The upper ends of the legs 114 are each provided with a wing bolt 116 (see FIGURES 2 and 8) whereby the braces 112 may be adjustably secured in any desired position in longitudinal adjustment relative to; the legs 114.

To the underside of the base plate member 111 is connected, las by screws 120, the bight portion 122 of a channel-shaped bracket 124. The bracket 124 includes a pair of arms 126, 128 which depend, respectively, from opposite ends of the bight 122 in laterally-spaced and substantially parallel relation relative to one another, and the arms 126, 128, at the lower ends thereof, terminate in laterally-offset and confronting flanges 130, 132 to which are secured or formed integral therewith a pair of inverted, substantially U-shaped channel members 134, 136, respectively. The bights 138, 140 of the channel members 134, 136, respectively, 'and the flanges 130, 132 are threaded to receive the wing bolts .142, 144 therethrough. As is seen in FIGURE 7, the bight portion 122 slidably engages the upper sides of the anges 16, 18 with the arms 126, 128 embracing and Sliding on the legs 22, 20, respectively.

The forward end of the base plate 111 has lixedly secured thereto a pair of substantially Z-shaped brackets 146, each having a top ange 147 lixedly secured to the underside of the plate 111, and an integrally-formed depending bight 148 for sliding engagement with the remotely-disposed sides of the legs 20, 22. The brackets 146 each carries a lower ange 149 slidably engageable against the lower edge of the legs 20, 22. These brackets 146 prevent the seat 106 from tilting backward relative to the frame 11 and prevent the front of the seat from having lateral motion relative to the frame 11, while still permitting the same to be slidably mounted thereon. After proper adjustment has been made, the seat 106 may be held in the desired adjusted relation by threading the wing bolts 142, 144 in such a manner as to cause the same to eng-age against the flanges 16, 18.

Again referring to FIGURE l of the drawings, the seat 10,6 is seen to include a substantially U-shaped back rest 160 having a bight portion 162 from the ends of which upwardly extend a pair of laterally-spaced and substan- 1 tially parallel arms 164, 166. To the upper ends of the arms 164, 166 is xedly secured by conventional means, a substantially rectangular padded back rest 168.

The lower ends of the arms 164, 166 are pivotally connected as at 170, 172 to one of the ends of a pair of bell-crank levers 174, 176, respectively, the latter being fixedly secured to the frame adjacent the rear end thereof as by rivets 178. It is thus seen that the back rest 168 may be pivoted in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGURE l for yengagement against the cushion 108, and that pivotal movement of the frame in the reverse direction is limited by engagement of the bight portion 162 with the rear end of the frame 110.

The top and bottom Walls 52, 54 of the gear box 50 are slotted adjacent the forward end thereof, and the side walls 56, 58 at this end of the gear box 50 support the opposed ends of a main shaft 100 which projects beyond the remotely-disposed sides thereof. The shaft 190 has mounted thereon, intermediate its ends, a spur gear 192 having a hub 194 that carries a set screw 196 to effect connection of the gear 192 with the shaft 190. One of the ends of a pair of levers 198, 200 is lixedly secured to the opposed ends, respectively, of the shaft 190, the levers 198, 200 being spaced apart substantially and radiating from the shaft 190. The other ends of the levers 198, 200 terminate in stub axles 202, 204 on which are mounted the conventional foot-e-ngageable pedals 206, 208.

Adjacent to, but spaced from 1the shaft 180 is a second shaft 210 having its opposed ends supported on the sidewalls 56, 58 and having its longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the longitudinally axis of the shaft 130. The shaft 210 has fixedly secured thereon a second spur gear 212 which meshes with the spur gear 192, and a bevel gear 214 is also fixedly connected on the shaft 210. The gears 212, 214 rotate with the shaft 210 and the bevel gear 214 meshes with a bevel gear 216 fixedly connected to one end of a flexible drive shaft 218. As is seen in the drawings, this end of the shaft 218 is supported in a journal 220 which projects laterally from the sidewall 56. The drive shaft 218 is supported in a flexible casing 222 in the usual manner and is substantially rectangular in transverse cross-sectional configuration. The other end of the drive shaft 218 and of its casing 222 extends through the upper end of a normally elongated, substantially hollow rigid cylindrical housing 230, and the other end of the housing 230' terminates in an arcuately-oflset extension 232 having its longitudinal axis disposed substantially 90 away from the longitudinal axis of the main housing 230. The lower end of the casing 222 is connected with the outer end of the extension 232 as by means of a screw 233, and the lower or outer end of the drive shaft 218 has the usual propeller 234 ixedly secured thereto in the conventional manner.

Fixedly secured to the arms 82, 84 (reference being made to FIGURE 1 of the drawings) are flanges 236 of a pair of brackets 240, each flange being provided with a rearwardly-projecting leg 244 and 246, respectively. Supported on the upper ends of the legs 244, 246 is a normally horizontal ipivot pin 248 on which is pivotally mounted an elongated, substantially hollow, cylindrical barrel 250. Welded or otherwise xedly secured to the barrel 250 is the upper end of a vertically-elongated, substantially hollow cylindrical casing 252 having vertically-elongated, substantially hollow cylindrical bearings 254, 256 secured therein adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, respectively. As is seen in FIGURE 4, the upper end of the housing 230 is journalcd for rotation within the casing 252, the housing 230 riding in the journals 254, 256.

Reference numeral 260 (see FIGURE 5) indicates a substantially Ushaped bracket having a bight portion 262 from the opposed ends of which laterally project a pair of spaced and substantially parallel arms, 264, 266. The arms 264, 266 are pivotally-.connected on the legs 244, 246 by means yof a pivot pin 268 that extends transversely therethrough. The arms 264, 266 embrace diametrically-opposed sides of the casing 252, and the latter is prevented from swinging outwardly beyond the free ends of the arms 264, 266 by means of a stop pin 270 which has its opposed ends carried thereby. The pins 268, 270 are headed as at 272, 274 and the head 274 is slotted as at 276 to provide means for connection to one end of a keeper chain 278 having its other end flxedly connected to the leg 246. The other ends of the pins 268, 270 each receives a keeper pin 282 therethrough.

Fixedly secured on lthe housing 231) by means of a set screw 284 is a substantially cylindrical collar 286. As is seen in FIGURE 4, the oollar 286 is positioned in the housing 230 immediately below the lower end of the casing 250 and serves as abutment means to prevent the axial shifting upwardly of the housing 230 relative to the casing 252.

Fixedly secured to the upper end of the housing 230' by means of a countersunk set screw 288 is a steering pulley 290 having a continuous peripheral groove 292 formed therein. Fixedly secured within the steering pulley 290 is a substantially hollow cylindrical clamp 294 in which is threaded an anchoring screw 296. As is seen in FIG- URES 1, 2 and 4, a steering cable 298 is trained about the pulley 290 and is threaded through the clamp 294 which is xedly secured by the anchoring screw 296. The cable 298 is also trained about a pair of guide pulleys 299, 300 suitably journaled for rotation on the upper ends of a pair of shafts 302, 304, the lower ends of the latter being lixedly secured to the anges 16, 18, respectively. Fixedly secured to the undersides of the flanges 16, 18 and adjacent .the plate 24 is a substantially rectangular support plate 306 from which depends a bearing block 308 xedly secured thereto by screws 310. The bearing block 308 includes a rotatable bearing sleeve 312 that receives transversely therethrough a squared flexible securing shaft 314 having an end thereof adjacent the bearing block 308 to which is xedly connected one end of an elongated substantially cylindrical steering rod 316. The upper end of the steering rod 316 projects through the slot 28 formed in the plate 24 and is provided with a diametrically-extending slot 318 through which the cable 298 also passes. The upper end of the steering rod 316 is capped as at 320, the cap 320l being provided with a cable anchoring screw 322 which enters the opening 318 to engage the cable 298 to hold the same against movement relative to the steering rod 316. As is seen in FIGURES l, 2 and 4, the cable 298 extends through suitable openings formed in the cap 320.

The other end of the steering shaft 314 is telescoped within a substantially hollow rectangular sleeve 325, the sleeve 325, at its forward end, being supported in a suitable bearing 326 which is fixedly secured to and depends from the plate 328 rigidly connected to the anges 16, 18. This bearing construction is identical to the bearing construction shown in FIGURE 6. The sleeve 325 continues beyond the front of the frame 11 and is connected in an enlarged boss 330 (see FIGURE 1) to the apex end of an inverted substantially triangular steering post 331 having side arms 332, 333 and a base 334. The steering shaft 314 and the sleeve 325 are held in axially-adjusted relation relative to one another by means of the wing bolt 335 which threads through the sleeve 325 for engagement with the shaft 314. Steerage for the boat 102 is obtained by means of the rudder plates 336, 337 which are lixedly secured to the housing 230 and its extension 232 at the upper and lower sides of the latter.

To utilize the above-described apparatus, and assuming that the boat occupant is seated on the cushion 108, the users legs will extend past the side arms 332, 333 of the steering post 331, and his feet will engage against the pedals 206, 208. In pushing against the pedals 208, 206 to effect a clockwise rotation thereof, as viewed in FIGURE l, levers 198, 200' will effect rotation of the shaft 190 which will, in turn, drive the gear trains 192, 212, 214 and 216, and the rotation of the last-mentioned gear will, of course, drive the propeller shaft 218. The shaft 218, being connected with the propeller, causes rotation thereof, and as the boat 102 is propelled through the water, Steerage thereof is obtained by pressing the legs of the user against the side arms 232, 233. As pressure is exerted on either of these side arms, the shaft 214 is caused to turn, and since the steering rod 331 is xedly secured to the steering shaft 314, the steering rod 331 will turn in the same direction. As has been described above, and as illustrated in the drawings, the steering rod is fxedly secured to the cable 298 and will draw the cable on one or the other sides of the .pulley 290 to effect rotation of the housing 231) which then will turn the extension 232 in a corresponding direction, carrying with it the rudders 336, 337.

It is obvious, of course, that the particular type of gearing employed herein will permit the operator of the boat 102 to back-pedal, thereby reversing the direction of rotation of the shaft 218 which reverses the direction of rotation of the propeller 234, whereby the boat 102 may be propelled rearwardly.

The gear box 50 is slidable on the channel 32 for adjustment to a suitable position thereon so that the pedals 204, 206 may be comfortably engaged by the feet of the user, and an analogous adjustment may be made to |the seat frame 110 through the loosening of the screws 142, 144 and sliding the frame 110 longitudinally of the anges 16, 18. The steering post 331 has been made adjustable in order to be comfortably engaged by the thighs of the user, the adjustment being made longitudinally of the steering shaft 314 by unloosening the wing bolt 335 and shifting the sleeve 325 axially of the shaft 314.

While unnecessary in the practice of this invention, it is desirable that the gear train including the gears 192, 212, 214 and 216 be enclosed to protect the same from the weather and to prevent inadvertent and accidental entanglement of the users clothing therein. T 0 this end, a pair of upper and lower gear box housings 400', 402 are xedly secured, respectively, to the top and bottom walls 52, 54 to extend over and to surround the gear train.

When not in use, or for storage purposes, the device 10 may be folded to occupy but a minimum of space. This is accomplished by telescoping the channel member 32 within the gear box 50 and pivoting the same about the pivot pin 44 in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGURE 1. The back rest 168 is then pivoted to engage the seat cushion 108 in the manner described above, and the seat frame 110 is moved to its foremost position, as shown in FIGURE 1, on the anges 16, 18. The pin 268 is now withdrawn from between the arms 264, 266 of Ithe bracket 260 and the housing 238 is now pivoted about the pivot pin 248 to move the housing extension 232 into juxtaposition relative to the back rest 168, all in the manner shown in FIGURE 8 of the drawings. The wing bolts 116 are loosened and the legs 114 are withdrawn from the braces 112. This folding operation is effected, of course, after the transom hooks 74, 76 have been disengaged from the transom and after the clamp bolts 94 have been turned to cause the clamp heads 68 to disengage the transom 100.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined propeller and drive assembly for a boat having a transom and a bottom wall, said assembly comprising an elongated substantially open rectangular frame having a pair of opposed ends and upper and lower sides, hook means secured to and projecting from one end of said frame for detachable connection to said transom, support means depending from the other end of said frame and engaging said bottom wall, a normally upright hollow housing supported adjacent its upper end for rotation about its longitudinal axis, said housing being supported by said hook means, said housing having an offset extension adjacent the lower end thereof, a drive shaft disposed for rotation within said housing and its extension and extending therethrough, a propeller fixedly connected to one end of said drive shaft adjacent the outer end of said extension, rudder means connected to said housing and its said extension, a substantially hollow gear box having a pair of opposed ends, means pivotally connecting one end of said gear box with said other end of said frame, means connected to the other end of said gear box for engagement with said bottom wall, a gear train disposed in said gear box, foot-operable means connected to the first gear of said train to drive said train, said drive shaft having its other end connected with the last gear of said train, a steering rod pivotally supported at one of its ends on said frame for movement transversely thereof, a steering shaft supported for rotation on said frame and having one of its ends connected to one end of said steering rod to effect pivotal movement of said rod, said steering shaft having an end thereof projecting beyond the other end of said frame, and a normally upright steering post having one of its ends fixedly secured to the other end of said steering shaft.

2. A combined propeller and drive assembly as defined in claim 1, and seat means secured to the upper side of said base frame.

3. A combined propeller and drive assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said seat means is supported for adjustment relative to said frame, and adjustable means depending from one end of said seat means and engaging said bottom wall to raise or lower said one end of said seat means relative to said frame.

4. A combined propeller and drive assembly for a boat having a transom and a bottom Wall, said assembly comprising an elongated substantially open rectangular frame having a pair of opposed ends and upper and lower sides, seat means mounted on said upper side of said frame, said seat means being adjustable longitudinally of said frame, hook means secured to one end of said frame and projecting longitudinally therefrom for connection to said transom, a normally upright substantially hollow tubular casing mounted on said hook means, an elongated substantially upright housing mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis in said casing, said housing including a laterally-offset extension at one end thereof, means pivotally connecting said casing to said hook means for pivotal movement about a normally horizontal axis, rudder means connected to said housing and its extension, an elongated channel-shaped member having one of its ends pivotally connected to the other end of said frame, an elongated substantially rectangular gear box having one of its ends telescoped over the other end of said channel member, means for securing said gear box in adjusted position longitudinally of said channel member,

support means fixedly connected to and depending from the other end of said gear box for engagement against said bottom wall, a gear train disposed within said gear box adjacent said other end thereof, a shaft mounted for rotation in said gear box and supporting the first gear of said train, means fixedly securing said first gear to said shaft for rotation therewith, an elongated lever for each end of said shaft, means fixedly connecting one end of each lever with its associated end of said shaft, said levers radiating from said shaft and being disposed substantially relative to one another, a foot-engaging pedal projecting laterally from and rotatably supported on the other end of each of said levers, an elongated flexible drive shaft having one of its ends fixedly connected to the last gear of said gear train for rotation therewith, the other end of said flexible drive shaft extending through said gear box and longitudinally of said channel member and extending below the underside of said frame, said other end of said drive shaft extending through said housing and its extension, said other end of said drive shaft having a propeller fixedly connected thereto adjacent the outer end of said extension, a steering rod pivotally supported on said frame adjacent said one end thereof for movement transversely of said frame, means connecting said steering rod with the other end of said housing to effect rotation thereof as said steering rod is pivoted, a steering shaft rotatably supported on said frame and having an end thereof connected with said one end of said steering rod, the other end of said steering shaft extending beyond said other end of said frame, and a normally upright steering post having one of its ends fixedly secured to the other end of said steering shaft and its other end projecting above the upper side of said frame.

5. A combined propeller and drive assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said means for pivoting said housing comprise a pulley fixedly secured to said one end of said housing, an endless cable trained about said pulley, means anchoring a portion of said cable against relative movement to said pulley, said cable having a portion thereof extending transversely through the other end of said steering rod, and means fixedly securing said last-named portion of said cable against movement relative to said steering rod.

6. A combined propeller and drive assembly as defined in claim 5, and a shaft for each side of said frame, said shafts having one of their respective ends fixedly secured to said frame and the other ends thereof projecting above the upper side of said frame, said shafts being disposed between said steering rod and said housing, and a cable guide pulley rotatably supported on the upper ends of said last-named shafts and disposed in engagement with said cable.

7. A combined propeller and drive assembly as defined in claim 6, and seat back rest means pivotally connected on said frame.

No references cited.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COMBINED PROPELLER AND DRIVE ASSEMBLY FOR A BOAT HAVING A TRANSOM AND A BOTTOM WALL, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN RECTANGULAR FRAME HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSED ENDS AND UPPER AND LOWER SIDES, HOOK MEANS SECURED TO AND PROJECTING FROM ONE END OF SAID FRAME FOR DETACHABLE CONNECTION TO SAID TRANSOM, SUPPORT MEANS DEPENDING FROM THE OTHER END OF SAID FRAME AND ENGAGING SAID BOTTOM WALL, A NORMALLY UPRIGHT HOLLOW HOUSING SUPPORTED ADJACENT ITS UPPER END FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, SAID HOUSING BEING SUPPORTED BY SAID HOOK MEANS, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN OFFSET EXTENSION ADJACENT THE LOWER END THEREOF, A DRIVE SHAFT DISPOSED FOR ROTATION WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND ITS EXTENSION AND EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, A PROPELLER FIXEDLY CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SID DRIVE SHAFT ADJACENT THE OUTER END OF SAID EXTENSION, RUDER MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID HOUSING AND ITS SAID EXTENSION, A SUBSTANTIALLY HOLLOW GEAR BOX HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSED ENDS, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING ONE END OF SAID GEAR BOX WITH SAID OTHER END OF SAID FRAME, MEANS CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID GEAR BOX FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BOTTOM WALL, A GEAR TRAIN DISPOSED IN SAID GEAR BOX, FOOT-OPERABLE MEANS CONNECTED TO THE FIRST GEAR OF SAID TRAIN TO DRIVE SAID TRAIN, SAID DRIVE 